Ocean protection: Joal-Fadiouth established as a model of community management

The celebration of World Ocean Day was marked by a large-scale mangrove reforestation operation in Fadial, with the planting of 10,000 propagules. Under the theme "Reshaping our relationship with the oceans," this activity brought together authorities, environmental organizations, local communities, and students around a common goal: to promote the sustainable management of marine and coastal ecosystems.

For Amadou Oumar Touré, Ocean campaign manager at Greenpeace Africa, this year’s theme invites us to rethink the links between people, decision-makers and the oceans.

"Oceans play a vital role in the lives of communities, whether coastal or inland. They contribute to climate regulation and food security. It is therefore essential to preserve this relationship and place communities at the heart of the sustainable management of marine resources," he explained.

The head of Greenpeace Africa also presented the report "Justice for the Ocean and its Peoples," produced as part of the international Ocean Justice project, implemented in Senegal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Chile. According to him, this document highlights the persistent inequalities in ocean governance.

"People are not sufficiently involved in decisions concerning the oceans and do not always benefit from the economic spin-offs they generate. Our advocacy aims to establish more justice between the ocean and the people," he stressed.

Joal, a model of conservation

The choice of Joal-Fadiouth to host this celebration is not accidental. According to Greenpeace Africa, the locality is now a national benchmark in mangrove restoration and community-based management of natural resources.

"For more than twenty years, local actors have been carrying out remarkable work in reforestation, assisted natural regeneration and mangrove conservation. Joal has become an example for all of Senegal," said Mr. Touré.

He recalled that Greenpeace has been collaborating for several years with the Joal-Fadiouth Marine Protected Area (MPA) and the AGIRE association, led by Karim Sall, particularly through mangrove restoration programs initiated since 2021.

The campaign manager also welcomed the choice of Senegal to host the upcoming World Congress on Marine Protected Areas (IMPAC6), an international event that will bring together stakeholders from around the world to discuss the challenges related to marine conservation.

Persistent financial challenges

Despite the progress made, Amadou Oumar Touré believes that the communities managing marine protected areas still face significant constraints.

"They perform essential work but often have limited resources. It is necessary to strengthen their capacities and provide them with sustainable financial support in order to guarantee effective management of marine protected areas," he argued.

One hectare of restored mangrove

For his part, the curator of the Joal-Fadiouth Marine Protected Area, Captain Assane Diallo, highlighted the educational and ecological scope of the reforestation activity.

"This operation allows us to restore approximately one hectare of mangrove while showing students and partners reforestation techniques and the importance of this ecosystem," he said.

According to him, the mangrove plays a major role in carbon sequestration, coastal protection and the reproduction of fish stocks.

"These are growth areas for many species of fish. Their preservation is therefore essential to the health of marine ecosystems and the survival of fishing communities," he reminded.

Beyond reforestation, the day served as a framework for reflection on environmental issues and the challenges faced by marine protected areas.

For Captain Assane Diallo, one of the priorities remains the education of younger generations.

"We must bring young people closer to environmental issues from a very young age. If children understand the issues related to protecting nature today, they will be citizens tomorrow capable of contributing to the preservation of their environment," he said.